Why did scientists send marijuana to the ISS?

Well-known company in the West N AgriculturalTechnology recently announced that it intends to ship marijuana to the International Space Station as part of a scientific experiment. Due to the fact that some cannabis cultures, a variety of cannabis, have extremely low levels of psychoactive tetrahydrocannibinol, the plant in the very near future risks becoming one of the most commonly used material in production. So why is the ISS going to take a batch of marijuana on board and what does coffee have to do with it?

In March 2020, the ISS will host the first batch of hemp for scientific experiments.

What happens to plants in space?

According to an article published on the portalnewsweek.com, Front Range Biosciences in partnership with SpaceCells USA Inc. and BioServe Space Technologies from the University of Colorado, wants to conduct a unique study on the question of whether very specific conditions in space can lead to genetic mutations in plants. According to experts, about 480 cultures of plant cells will be stored in a special incubator, which will regulate the temperature on board the ISS for about 30 days. After a month, plant cells will be returned to Earth, where scientists from Front Range Biosciences will be able to examine in detail the effects of cosmic radiation and microgravity on plant gene expression. It is known that in addition to hemp, coffee will also be grown in a space greenhouse.

See also: Why ISS will soon smell like freshly baked cookies

SpaceX Ilona Mask will deliver the seeds of experimental plants to the ISS

According to experts, a study thatHeld in March 2020, it can help expand our understanding of how plants respond to the stresses of space travel. The results, in turn, will give humanity the opportunity to gain new knowledge about the methods of growing plants on Earth. An analysis of how plants respond to unique environmental conditions - such as space - can help agricultural technology companies develop new, more hardy varieties that can grow in the harsh conditions of our planet. Such forecasting may be useful in the very near future due to the fact that as the planet’s climate changes, an increasing number of plants will not be able to continue to grow in their usual regions, which may lead to their mass extinction.

Despite the use of cannabisis illegal in a number of modern states, hemp, which contains no more than 0.3 percent of tetrahydrocannibinol, causing a state of altered consciousness, has been officially removed from the list of extremely controlled substances in 2018. According to new studies, the substance can be extremely versatile when using both food and elements of the textile and even fuel industry. In addition, the high content of cannabidiols in the plant is now increasingly being used as a treatment for a number of health problems.